F...A..L..L.. is here!

It is definitely fall around here now. Days are getting shorter and colder. We had such lovely weather for so long, but I guess it had to end sometime. What were beautiful golden and yellow leaves on the trees last week are already on the ground due to some high winds lately.

As you can see from my pictures, I have been busy sewing up a flurry of table runners for friends and myself. Since Canadian Thanksgiving is just over a week away I wanted them done to grace our tables.

have a great week!

Lee

Quilts of Valour - Canada

Hello everyone

yesterday was a great day at the Creative Stitches festival in Calgary. Of course I spent too much and now have many new projects to get started on.

One booth that I came across was the Canadian branch of the Quilts of Valour. Like the American sister chapter, quilts are made and donated to the group, who then see that they are distributed to the service men and women that are wounded.

Their mission statement: “To ensure that our wounded Canadian soldiers are recognized for their bravery and commitment of their true patriotism to our country. We give this support through the presentation of quilts of comfort made for our military service people"

I was so glad to come across this table and find out about their organzation. Maybe you too would like to make and donate to this very worthy cause, I know I will be.

They probably wouldn't mind some extra word of mouth so come all you Canadian quilters lets help to spread the word and help those that are protecting us. Check out their website for more information

www.quiltsofvalour.ca

have a great weekend

Calling all Southern Albertans......

Just wondering if any of you fellow Alberta bloggers are going to be attending this show at the Round Up Center, this weekend? I am looking forward to going on Friday. It is not quite Quilt Festival in Houston, but it will do.

A lot of this......will lead to......????

A lot of this was happening in my house today by me.

All so that I could do a lot with this ......

using this.......

tomorrow! Hopefully I might have some finishes to show too!!!
Have a great week everyone!
P.S. I loved my machine quilting class with Lorraine Stangness of Country Creations. I can't wait to start using what I learned on some of my projects I have almost completed.

You know what they say.....

.....One person's trash is another person's treasure. Well remember the fabric find I got at the thrift store? (pictured above)I was so pleased as most of it was Thimbleberries fabric. I have turned that thrifty find into this treasure....... I did add a couple of fat quarters from my stash. I loved making the hour glass blocks.

Now it just needs to be sandwiched and quilted....any suggestions on how to machine quilt it?

I have also been busy working on the table runner for our kitchen table for fall. Although today feels more like summer with 29*C and a hot wind blowing.

Did I mention that I also canned 15 pounds of tomoatoes yesterday?


Time to run and start the night time driving job -- taxiing kids here and there. Wednesday night is our Fright Night for activities.

Mini summer quilt swap

Well finally I have my mini quilt completed and ready to post Monday morning. I had been done for awhile now, just need the label. this ws may second time machine appliqueing, which i did enjoy and hope to do more of. I got it completed today and all packaged ready to go to......???? I will say, it is going on a journey to another country!

Tomorrow I am going back to Value Village as it is 50% off day and see if there is any more fabric left.

The purchases from last week have been made into a hourglass blocks and the top is nearly complete. Too many interuptions and household duties to get it done this weekend.

Have a great week everyone!!

Feeling HOT HOT HOT.....making salsa!

That time of the year again when my friend Ria and I make homemade salsa. We went to the market on Sunday to buy our 40 lb box of tomatoes and all the peppers too! Last night we cleaned and peeled the tomatoes (after blanching to make it easier). They have to sit over night with salt on them to draw the water out! This morning we cut our peppers and onions, trying to decide and remember how many hot and which kind of peppers we used before. We usually make one mild and one hot batch. The smell in my kitchen is wonderful and the fruits of our labours, about 7 litres of salsa, is very tasty if I do say so myself!! Now I can sit back and listen to the lids pop as they finish sealing. Wishing you all a bountiful harvest this fall!

Also if you have a chance go to Needle Little Inspiration for a wonderful open house and many giveaways.

They say there is a first for everything......

Well today I had a first. For the first time ever I went inside our local thrift store, Value Village. I donated a few garbage bags of my husband's clothes at the back door then decided to check out what was on the inside! I was pleasantly surprised by such a big store, tidy, organized and clean. I often read on many blogs about thrift store finds from furnishings to bedding and lots inbetween. I thought I would look for some vintage sheets for backing of quilts. Well out of the corner of my eye I spotted a hanging label for fabric. So off course my radar went straight for it. There hanging on hangers was a bunch of Thimbleberries fabric yardage. Now how can a quilter pass this up? Very classic colours and design. In total I got about 8m for $40 Cdn. That is good for here as it retails between $12.99-18.99/m. There was more hanging there, but I noticed signs that say on the 14th is 50% off the entire store. so I might go back and cross my fingers there is more or different stock. also on another wall were bags of scrap fabrics, some even had made blocks! I have to wonder if someone cleaned out grandma's closet. I was happy with my find.

Sewing Update:

* 9 patch quilt along I have about 80 blocks done. Not sure how much I will need for a queen size

* Rooster wall hanging is sandwiched and ready for machine quilting

* class signed up for a machine quilting class for the 19th hope to learn lots

* Christmas crafts deciding if I should enter a craft fair (not that I have anything made yet)

* Gifts have a few more projects to get made as birthday gifts in Nov. (not even started yet)

That should keep me busy.

Hope you all have a fantastic long weekend (if you are in North America)

Lee